The Little Town That Could
by ThomCat
Summary: Baised off of the book World War Z a small town trys to hold of and survive the worst human disaster ever known to mankind.


Ok i just read World War Z and decided to write my own little zombie story. Would welcome suggestions!

Someone was shaking me. In an instant I had drawn the .45 from under my pillow and pressed it to the face of my attacker.

"Shit Thom! It's me! Seth!" my terrified neighbor says quivering.

I let out my breath and lower the pistol.

"Jesus, Seth. I could have killed you. What the hell are you doing in my house anyway?" I climbed out of my bed and put my glasses on. Still holding the gun I walk into the kitchen and gulped some milk straight from the carton. Seth follows me talking a mile a minute.

"Well, I used the spare key from when you asked me to house sit that summer you went on your camping trip. I came over because there is talk around town of getting out of here and heading north. Far north. I'm not sure what to do Thom. Sheila is terrified of any loud noises and my son won't go to sleep without the lights on."

I had know Seth and his family since I had moved into Timber Park, Iowa 3 years ago. Seth was on the town board and a carpenter. His son, Jack, was a senior at the local high school and the running back on the football team. Seth's wife, Sheila, was a sweet woman and a great card player but often got sick over the smallest things. They were a very loving family and often had me over for dinner and cards with their friends.

"Seth," I said trying to calm the terrified man down. "relax. There is no need to start jumping up and heading north." I turned and began digging through my cabinets for something to eat.

"What do we do then, Thom? We can't just sit here and wait for them to come. We need to get out of here."

I bit into the energy bar I had found and swallowed before asking Seth, "Ok, so you head north. Then what, Seth? You just gonna sit up there and wait? Freeze up there waiting for help that might never come? Think about your family Seth. You think your son wants to leave the only town he's ever known? You think Sheila won't get sick over this? Then what you and your son protect your wife all the way north?"

He stood there. His mouth working as he tried to answer my questions. He looked hurt at me shooting down his idea but running just because some one yells fire is not going to help you. I waited a moment before continuing.

"Seth, listen. I want you to call the board and get a meeting over at the high school. Have anyone with any ideas bring them up there. Somewhere in this town someone has to have an idea that isn't going to send hundreds of people to their unprepared deaths."

The high school parking lot was so full that I ended up parking around the corner and walking there. It seemed like the whole town had turned out. The feeling in the gym was filled with tension and fear. As the meeting came to order people immediately began trying to get themselves heard over the roar of the other 20 that had tried to do the same thing at the same time. Finally Mayor Tony Kingswoon managed to get a semi-balance of order. People would come up and give their ideas as the mayor and board would write down the ideas. Many people favored heading north before the first snow but others argued that it would be best to wait until after the first snow fall. Those plans at least made scene. There was one woman who suggested that we wall off the whole town. Another man decided that offering sacrifices to some old god would help. The police had to step in and stop the crowd from mobbing that guy. As the meeting came to a close it looked like the majority of people where going to head north. The only debate was when. As the dull roar of people arguing about it rose, Seth called to me from the front.

"Thom Reilly. What is your idea?" The crowd silenced at the prospect of a new idea. I was at a loss. I had no idea what the town needed to do. Not planning on speaking I had not even gave any plans a thought other that fortifying my own home and building a stash of food and other essentials, but there was no way the whole town was fitting in my house. I looked around the gym at all of the faces. Many of my friends and neighbors where there looking at me for advice. That seemed to be what I was good at, giving advice. I thought for a moment when it hit me. Instead of just my house why not make a bigger fort? Safety in numbers. What would be big enough for the whole town or at least the ones who stayed. I looked around the gym again before it hit me like a slap in the face on a cold day. The school. With 2 floors and pre-made rooms and large storage areas it was a great base for the start of a fortress.

With nothing else to looses I began laying out my half thought out plan to the quite town that was about to be turned upside down. As I talked I thought about some obvious questions. Food, get as much as possible from local stores. Making that food last, gardens on the roof of the school. Toilets breaking down, straight over the side of the building then a layer of some sort of germ killer. Shelter, well that one was obvious. What about cooking and heating if the electricity was cut off, fires in controlled areas with extinguishers handy. What to burn, stockpiled wood and a lot of thermal blankets and sleeping bags.

When I finished I heard a silence that had not been there after the other speakers. I wasn't sure if that was good or bad. Finally the silence was broken by the mayor.

"Mr. Reilly is it?" I nodded. "Your idea is noted. Please, take a seat." I went to the back of the room and leaned on the wall. After a moment of discussion the mayor leaned forward to speak into the microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the board and I have come the agreement that we cannot force you to do what we think is right. Therefore we have decided that we will allow certain public buildings to be used as meeting spots for the various ideas. Therefore we have a list of meeting spots depending on what you wish you and your family's course of action to be. Therefore, if you wish to head north before the first snowfall you will be meeting at the north end of the Timber Mall, over by the Sears. Those for after the first snow meet at the south end of the mall. For heading west, Timber park by the town hall. East, head to the River front park. South, can meet at Oaken's Timber mill. Finally, those of you wishing to stay and defend the school can meet here. Now the person who first spoke with the idea will name the time and date of the meeting. Just remember that if you can't make it make sure you find someone who is and get all of the information you can." As the mayor asked for times I began to wonder when I should do mine. I doubted many people would show up but it was my idea and I was not going to abandon it like an unwanted child.

"Mr. Reilly? What time and date would you like?"

I stood still for a moment feeling like a deer in the headlights of a car.

"Mr. Reilly?"

I took a breath. "Tonight."


End file.
